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Razing of Odessa
Background Great buildings fall, foes scurry like rats. Behold, the mighty saint of swords. While Shinzo Nagama planned the attack on the Soviet Union, Prince Tatsu insisted that he be allowed to attack a target for the Empire. His plan was to unleash a weapon of such power and awesomeness that people all over the world would fear the Rising Sun. Being the prince, his will was granted, as long as it didn’t happen before the attack date. However, the Shogunate, from traditionalists to the most modern, was quite concerned about the weapon itself. It seemed to break every tenant of warfare, and was quite expensive, even with its nanite heavy nature. Prince Tatsu explained that its psychological effect was far greater than its military effect, and though he could easily design something more efficient, he wanted something inherently Japanese for the world to fear. Odessa was chosen due to its lack of military significance, as Turkey (an Allied nation) thoroughly controlled the only way out of the Black Sea. Months before the Rising Sun even attacked, Shinobi infiltrated several civilian ships and replaced their cargo with parts for the weapon, which was secretly collected in a large warehouse on Odessa harbour. The Shinobi released a nanocore of specially prepared nanites that would assemble the machine before disappearing. Once the day to attack the Soviet Union came, Prince Tatsu would activate and control it from Tokyo. Force Composition Rising Sun Forces The Shogun Executioner was a highly stylized, extremely powerful robot the size of a large building. Its design was very unusual. On a frame of three heavy legs, three torsos resembling samurai carried three macro-beam katanas. The surface of the machine was covered with a layer of nanites that were specifically designed to be activated by Soviet Tesla technology. These nanites would then repair the Shogun Executioner, provide instant protection, and create other identical nanites. On the attack, the Shogun Executioner was a nightmare. Its beam katanas could slice through buildings, and had enough force to kill men quite a distance from the blade. Between the torsos were five plasma containment cells, which slowly replenished themselves as used. Small amounts were vented to augment the destructive power of the already heavy weight of the Shogun Executioner’s feet. When needed, the Shogun Executioner could shield itself using a nanite screen and release one of these cells, venting the superheated gas around it. This "Omega Shockwave" devastated the entire area around it. Along with the Shogun Executioner, Odessa was also infested with several Japanese camera drones. Too big to be used in an intelligence gathering manner, they were mostly used for filming painful and humiliating game shows popular in Japan. For much the same reason, they hid themselves in piles of trash and machinery to record the rampage of the Shogun Executioner. Soviet Forces Odessa had a light garrison; it was far from the front, and had little to defend. The biggest defence was five large cannons spread throughout the city, but they were mostly for show, and to dissuade the Allies from ever invading from the Black Sea. The only option it had for vehicular assault was a group of Stingrays meant to patrol the Black Sea and occasionally frighten the inhabitants of Turkey. Some V4s were on hand in case Allied ships appeared in the harbour. The whole garrison was based in an old Russian fort at the centre of the city, still surrounded by antiquated walls. In nearby Crimea, the exceptionally bored 738th Helicopter Squadron spent its time drinking vodka and listening to the Romanian radio, celebrating the New Year with little enthusiasm. They were placed there so any Allied shipping in the Black Sea would be in danger. However, in truth interceptors from Turkey would easily down them, so they hadn't taken to the air in months. They were still on standby at their airbase, though, and were eager for something to happen. Behold the Emperor's Executioner Dockworkers fled for their life as the Shogun Executioner burst from the warehouse, a large crater made from the nanites consuming the rock for raw materials. The Shogun Executioner's first act was to pick up a tug boat and throw it at the Vorontstov Lighthouse, demolishing the old structure entirely. With every eye in Odessa looking at it, the Shogun Executioner unleashed its first Omega Shockwave, incinerating the Odessa docks and every ship in port. The cannon batteries overcame the shock of this display and started bombarding the Shogun Executioner. Unfortunately for the Soviets, the cannons were scarcely accurate and did more damage to the city than to the robot. In the meantime, the Odessa Garrison mustered as best it could, quickly conscripting young men who were fleeing to bolster the regulars. Knowing the harbour was already lost, they instead set up on the expected path to the base. The Shogun Executioner in the meantime had smashed Prymors'ka Bridge and ripped apart the underlying railroads by stomping on them. It started moving up the Potemkin Stairs and into the range of the infantry. As one, they unleashed their flak cannons into the Shogun Executioner, to no effect. Brave to the end, a wave of conscripts charged at the robot, hoping to climb and destroy it. The results of the macro-beam katana on them were edited out of the live broadcast. With a mighty roar, the Shogun Executioner trampled into the city proper, leaving a trail of smashed and burning buildings that could be seen from the air. Wherever fire came from a window, a macro-beam katana sliced the building in half. Coming across the Odessa Opera and Ballet Theatre, it was ordered by Prince Tatsu to be made an example of. The Shogun Executioner jammed all three macro-beam katanas in it at once, setting the venerable building ablaze. Guns of the Workers Spotters on the front were allowing the cannon batteries to hit nearer to the Shogun Executioner. It activated its defensive nanites, but they wouldn't last long. Tatsu ordered the Shogun Executioner to charge after the guns. Coming across the Odessa Cathedral, it ripped off the dome and threw it at the first gun, collapsing it. It then galloped towards the others, smashing the buildings underneath with abandon. The Shogun Executioner released an Omega Shockwave onto the second gun, burning it, the walls protecting it and the surrounding city. It roared to the third gun and sliced it in half with its macro-beam katana, but not before it managed a point blank range shot that damaged the Shogun Executioner's leg, immobilizing it. Tatsu struggled to regain control, as even the mighty robot would fall if it remained in place. The 1st Black Sea Patrol Flotilla had been recalled from patrol and was now reaching the Shogun Executioner. The Stingrays, safely out of range of the macro-beam katanas, confidently poured Tesla burst after Tesla burst into the robot. This powered up its repair nanites, and soon the Shogun Executioner lurched back to life, stomping in the direction of the other guns. The Stingray captains did not realize that they were responsible and continued to follow the robot, firing on it several more times, until a Commissar jumped onto the lead Stingray and threatened to execute the crew if they didn't hold fire. Destroying the fourth gun with another Omega Shockwave, the Shogun Executioner waded through the city to the last gun. Smashing through the old brick walls, it grabbed the barrel and wrenched it out of its mountings. Collapsing a few buildings with it for good effect, it threw it at the old Russian fort, knocking down the walls. Bring it Down! The V4 launchers had finally been armed and started bombarding the slow moving Shogun Executioner. At the same time, the Twinblades of the 738th Helicopter Squadron had scrambled and were liberally emptying rockets into the Shogun Executioner. The initial missile salvo damaged the Shogun Executioner severely, and the machine gun fire continued. Though the robot was able to swat away a few Twinblades, these new enemies were able to keep at a distance. Prince Tatsu had to act fast. Knowing from intelligence that Soviet power production revolved around Tesla technology, he stopped swatting at the helicopters and rockets damaging the Shogun Executioner and trampled into the main base. Nearing total system failure, he managed to locate a Super Reactor that powered the base. He struggled to get it into the building itself. Lifting two broken conduits, the Shogun Executioner jammed them into its hull, providing its repair nanites with all the energy they needed. Fully operational, the Shogun Executioner unleashed an Omega Shockwave, which caused enough disturbance in the air to bring down the Twinblades, and also managed to destroy half the base. The other half was destroyed a short time later with another Omega Shockwave, leaving the old fortress in flames, and with it the last resistance in Odessa. Amongst the falling ash and fire, the Shogun Executioner roared in victory. Aftermath The Soviet Air Force rallied all available Kirovs to Odessa the next day. In one of the largest release of explosives in history, the Kirovs unleashed all of their bombs onto the city, destroying the Shogun Executioner, what was left of Odessa, and anyone still living. To prevent any technology from falling into Soviet hands, a special nanite colony in the robot was released and disassembled the remains of the Executioner on a molecular level. Though it looked like the Soviets had finally won, in truth Tatsu had expected it to be destroyed. It would take days to get to another target, anyways. Footage of the whole event, from its first emergence to it relishing the burning fort, was widely broadcast in Japan and the world so that all would fear the Empire of the Rising Sun. This fear gripped the world. An emergency meeting between Allied leaders was held to discuss what had happened and how to protect Allied citizens. In the Steam Cathedral of Agnus Dei in Jaffa, the image of the Shogun Executioner was set in stained glass as a warning against idols. And the Soviet Union, already disenchanted by the invasion of this new Empire, was terrified of what new weapons might yet come. Probably most importantly, it caused a rift in the population of Japan, many of whom saw the deployment of such a weapon against what was essentially a civilian target as a dishonourable and horrific act. This shift in public opinion set the stage for the later tempering of the nation's rhetoric and attempts to reconcile themselves with the Allies in the post-war peace. To this day, Odessa is still a cratered ruin. Category:Battles